Hirst Reveals Spots Supply

Finkel also tackles the ever-present question about the Spot painting project, the seemingly endless work of art that involves paintings of colored spots that are spaced equally based upon the diameter of the spots and no color is repeated on any one painting (expecting, presumably the handful of monochrome spot works,) how many works are there in the series?

At present, he says he has already made about 1,400 spot paintings, to be published in a full catalogue raisonné at the time of his gallery shows.

It’s enough to make most artists’ concerns about flooding the market, not to mention the classic model of supply and demand, seem rather quaint. Doesn’t he ever worry that the market just can’t absorb another round of spot paintings? […]

“I remember Larry once phoned me up, and he said he was worried about my production. He said: You are making too many paintings. And then, at the end of the conversation, he said: We need more paintings.” […]

Then, winding down, Hirst took a more analytical approach: “I’ve looked at the amount of artworks I’ve made in my life: 4,800, not including prints. I know Warhol did 10,000 not including prints, and Picasso did 40,000. So I have a way to go.”